Egypt's Sisi Eying GCC 'Membership'
SUBSCRIPTION SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2014 RAJAB 11, 1435 AH No: 16161 MERS death Massacres of Sharapova, toll rises to Muslims darken Nadal storm 126 in Saudi immigration into Madrid Arabia 9 debate13 in India semi-finals48 Egypt’s Sisi eying Max 40º 150 Fils GCC ‘membership’ Min 27º Sisi turns Islam on the Islamists KUWAIT: Field Marshal Abdel Fattah El-Sisi later this month, has cast himself as a defender plans to negotiate with the Gulf Cooperation of religion and taken aim at the doctrinal foun- Council (GCC) on the possibility of exempting dations of Islamist groups the state is seeking Egyptian workers from the sponsorship provi- to crush. sions, in addition to boosting military and eco- Striking a pious tone that sets him apart nomic cooperation, a Kuwaiti newspaper from former president Hosni Mubarak, Sisi also reported yesterday. Sisi’s priorities include giv- appears to be taking on the mantle of a reli- ing Egypt an observer position into the six- gious reformer. He has blamed outdated “reli- member GCC and allowing Egyptians to work gious discourse” for holding back Egypt. “I see in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, United that the religious discourse in the entire Islamic Arab Emirates and Oman (without sponsors). world has cost Islam its humanity,” Sisi said in Egypt also hopes to increase the trade and an interview televised on May 5. “This requires tourism activity with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait us, and for that matter all leaders, to review and Bahrain by eliminating visa requirements if their positions.” With references to God and Egypt becomes an observer-member of the morality, Sisi may turn out to be the most out- GCC according to a ‘high level sources’ in the wardly pious of any of the military men to have Field Marshal’s elections campaign.
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